'Bersatu turncoat reps' membership ceased after joining Harapan campaign'

KKB BY-ELECTION | Tanjong Karang MP Zulkafperi Hanapi and Selat Kelang assemblyperson Abdul Rashid Asari have ceased being Bersatu members after attending a Pakatan Harapan campaign event in Kuala Kubu Baharu last night.

The duo must now vacate their seats to make way for by-elections in their constituencies, according to the party’s secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin.

“They spoke on the Harapan stage during the Kuala Kubu Baharu campaign. Based on our (Bersatu’s) constitution, they automatically cease to be members.

“So as per the (anti-party hopping) law, they must also relinquish their seats,” Free Malaysia Today quoted Hamzah telling reporters after a Perikatan Nasional ceramah in Bandar Utama Batang Kali last night.

Hamzah said Zulkafperi (above, left) and Rashid’s membership termination letters will be issued after the Bersatu supreme council meeting next week.

Zulkafperi is among six Bersatu MPs who previously pledged support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, citing the well-being of their constituents.

The other five are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

Rashid, meanwhile, backed Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari in the state legislative assembly.

Batting for Harapan

FMT reported that during the ceramah, Zulkafperi urged voters to back Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao in the May 11 by-election as they should “learn” from his experience.

He reportedly told the attendees that his monthly salary could be wiped out “within a week” after donating money to his constituents at events and paying his staff’s wages.

The lack of funding from the government also meant that he could not organise programmes to benefit the people, he added.

It was reported that Rashid has also been seen supporting Harapan’s campaigns in the by-election over the past week and is expected to join the government’s grand finale ceramah tonight.

Suhaili’s fate

Hamzah told reporters that Bersatu has “reached a decision” regarding Suhaili’s fate in the party as well but the matter has to be confirmed at the upcoming supreme council meeting.

The recent amendment to Article 10 of Bersatu’s constitution stipulates that any elected representative who defected from the party would automatically cease to be a member.

In doing so, the defectors will also trigger the anti-hopping law as per Article 49A of the Federal Constitution and their seats will be vacated.

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